Page 28 of The Beast's Heart

“Malakai,” Adam’s deep voice rumbles from behind us. I tense and Mal pulls himself tighter under the desk. “Malakai, come out now. There’s no need to hide.”

Adam’s large frame blocks the doorway. Even when he’s not trying to be, he’s intimidating.

I gesture for him to join me on the floor. At least that way he’s less of a physical threat. To my surprise, he does, crouching beside me and peering into the dark recesses beneath the desk.

Eyes appear above Mal’s knees, little pinpricks of reflected light. “Are you going to fire Belle?”

“No,” Adam rumbles, voice surprisingly gentle.

“Are— are you going to send me back?”

“Also, no.”

When no further response is forthcoming, Adam sighs and sits cross legged on the floor. “I apologize for shouting. I didn’t expect— I never expected to hear that piano being played again. I overreacted.”

I blink. Is this the same man who was just yelling at us?

“I’ve always had a problem with my temper and it’s gotten me into some pretty bad spots. But you don’t have to be afraid, Mal. Please, don’t be afraid of me.”

For a minute there’s no sound in the room but the distant wail of the storm. Then Mal says, “I’m not. I’m not afraid of anything.”

I almost laugh. “Well in that case, I think we should go back upstairs and continue today’s lessons, don’t you?”

12

JONATHAN

My package from Zane arrives with the weekly groceries on Thursday and, when I go down to the kitchen to collect it after class, I find Ray at the table, poring over a letter. A half-peeled onion is at their elbow, beside a half-finished cup of coffee. They’re so intent upon the letter that they don’t even seem to notice me until I say hello.

“Parcel’s in the cellar.” They jerk a thumb over their shoulder. “Access via the pantry.”

Ray’s generally so sweet and bubbly. This terseness doesn’t seem like them at all.Have I done something to offend them?

Or… could they have discovered the truth about me? Would Zane have said something on the label that gave me away?My gut clenches, as it does every time I remember my lie. It’s become too easy to forget.

“Is… is something the matter?” I ask Ray.

I don’t want to be nosy, so when they press their lips together and shake their head, I leave them be.

The pantry is a dim, narrow room with wooden shelves. There are enough supplies here in tins and bags to probably see us through the whole pandemic. It reminds me of a bombshelter. At the far end, a steep flight of steps leads down into the cellar.

The space below ground level is cool and smells like stone. It’s the sort of place that might have been used for cold storage once. Now, electric lights are installed on the ceiling. There’s a wine rack, housing some dust-covered bottles, and piles of supplies stacked up below a set of cellar doors. That must be where Ray accepts the weekly deliveries. I spot my box and retrieve it. A cold breeze prickles my neck, and I’m nearly convinced I hear someone move behind me. I spin around. Nothing.

Ghosts do not exist.

Back in the kitchen, Ray’s still got their head down. Now they’re scribbling notes on a pad. They rip the page they’re busy with out and crumple it up, then make a low growling noise.

I set my box on the table, debating whether I should open it here or rather leave them be. “Are you all right?”

“Everything’s fine. Peachy keen.” The way they say it though, voice deep and low, makes it seem like things are anything but.

I lift my box again. “Sorry, I’ll leave you alone.”

Ray looks up, sighs deeply. “No, I’m sorry.” They shake their head. “It’s this letter from Davy.”

Their husband. They mentioned him before and we laughed about how he was a legitimate Davy in the navy. I take a seat. “Trouble?”

“No. He’s—” Ray rests their chin on their hand. “He spends a lot of time at sea, right? He’s gone for months at a time, leaving me on my lonesome. Now, I’m not one to complain! I like my freedom just fine. And this all works for us. Perfect marriage. We’re around each other just long enough to get sick of each other. But, you see, in those in-between times when he’s off sailing, we generally at least speak to each other. We video call or email. You know?”

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